There is a certain light in vineyards in the evening, during certain moments of a sunset, where it’s possible to perceive something in the air. You feel that it is a ‘different’ moment from all the others, it is not equal. Why make wine? Because in our bottles we strive to express this sensation, to give meaning to this moment of ‘splendour.’
Enrico Faccenda
The Historic Vineyards
Anterisio was the original nucleus of Canale, razed to the ground in 1200 by the Astigiani. The settlement was substituted with vineyards which, from the 16th century, have enjoyed fame for the optimal production of Roero Arneis. The soils are predominantly sandy with pockets of blue and grey loam and a good presence of clay which gives an Arneis of extreme complexity, sapidity and minerality.
An ancient slope in the northwest of Canale, with optimal exposure, Mompissano has always been dedicated to the production of Nebbiolo, as attested to by archival documents with references dating to 1303, one of the oldest citations in existence. The soils are a mix of sand, calcareous marl and chalky Sulphur which give life to bodily wines, rich with aromas and good alcoholic gradation.
A Vocation of Babera
Granera Alta is named after “Cassina della Granera nuova,” a farmhouse that used to belong to the Malabaila Counts of Canale. It was an ancient granary that would collect the harvests from the surrounding lands and was converted into a vineyard in the mid-18th century according to historical documents. A splendidly exposed vineyard to the south/southwest of Castellinaldo, at the border with Castagnito and Magliano Alfieri. It is named after “Cassina della Granera nuova,” an ancient granary. The Granera Alta rests on clay soils, with one of the most elevated presence of limestone in Roero. The exposure, soils and microclimate lead to a Barbera of intense colour, generous and powerful, soft and with sharp fruity scents.
Bric Loira is the vineyard just above Granera Alta. Fully exposed to the south and an optimal microclimate result in a lavish, rich and rounded Barbera with accentuated notes of red fruit
The Nebbiolo of Roero
Valmaggiore is perhaps one of the most notable subzones of Roero, with soils rich in sand and steep slopes. The best Nebbiolo grapes within the appellation are from here. The history of its renown is well known. One story tells that in 1600, Filippo Giuseppe San Martino di Agliè, advisor Queen Maria Cristina of France, the regent of Savoy, ordered that royal cellars must always stock the vino nero di Vermau (black wine of Vermau) and Valmaggiore. The soil, typical of the central zone of Roero production, is of Pliocene origin, characterized by loam, limestone and clay. The wine produced here is structured, complex, and austere but always elegant with a touch of finesse.
The Top of Barolo
A majestic and elegant stretch of land, Ginestra is the most celebrated cru of the eastern slopes of Monforte d’Alba. It is here that, in the last decades, Barolo made history. The vines with optimal positions, the warm and bright microclimate and a soil characterized by silty clay marl and small percentages of sand result in a memorable Barolo, where elegance, power and complexity reach their height.
Castelletto is a vast cru of Barolo located in Grassi between the municipality of Monforte d'Alba and the village of Perno. Cascina Chicco cultivates one vineyard within the cru, at the border with Ginestra. It is a steep plot that is exposed to the east and surrounded by woods and the Rocche di Castelletto, large rock formations that were formed by erosion from water. The microclimate is cooler with medium-textured soils characterized by loam, clay and sand. Being rich in minerals and active limestone, the wines from this cru are full and elegant. Complex aromatics with notes of spice and full bodied but balanced.